Traci Park (born 1976) is an American attorney and politician, who is the Los Angeles City Councilmember for the 11th district since 2022.[1] Having entered the race to challenge incumbent Mike Bonin,[2] Park became a frontrunner for the open seat upon Bonin's announcement of retirement, and defeated civil rights attorney Erin Darling in the general election.[3][4]
Traci Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 11th district | |
| Assumed office December 12, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Mike Bonin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1976 (age 47–48) |
| Political party | Republican (formerly) Democratic |
| Education | Johns Hopkins University (BA) Loyola Marymount University (JD) |
Early life and career
editPark was raised in Downey, California and Apple Valley, California.[5] Her mother was a school secretary.[5]
Park graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1997 with a Bachelor's degree in History, later graduating from Loyola Law School in 2001 with a Juris Doctor. In 2009, she started working for Burke, Williams and Sorensen, a law firm specializing in public entities.[6]
Los Angeles City Council (2022—present)
editPark entered politics in 2020 when she organized to block the city of Los Angeles from converting a Ramada Inn on her street into housing for homeless people.[5]
Election
editIn July 2021, Park announced her candidacy for Los Angeles City Council, hoping to unseat unpopular incumbent Mike Bonin of the 11th district.[7] After Bonin announced his retirement, the seat became open with Erin Darling becoming the progressive candidate in the race.[8] Both Darling and Park advanced to the general election, with Park narrowly behind Darling in the results.[9] Park was a registered Republican before switching to the Democratic Party years prior to her campaign.[10][11][12]
During the campaigns, Darling criticized Park for representing the city of Anaheim against a city employee who accused a supervisor for their use of the N-word, with Park criticizing Darling for representing "unsavory criminal defendants."[13][14] Park also criticized Darling for his association with Bonin, as well as Bonin's record with homelessness in the district.[15] In the election, Park defeated Darling by a six-point margin.[16]
Tenure
editDuring her swearing-in ceremony, protesters were removed after trying to interrupt Park's speech.[17] She voted in favor of the 41.18 ordinance, a measure which aimed to curtail homeless encampments by banning sitting, sleeping and storing property within 500 feet of schools, day-care centers, parks, recreation centers, in a contrast to her predecessor's refusal to support the ordinance.[18] In 2024, Park expressed opposition to Measure HLA, which would create hundreds of miles of bus lanes and bike lanes.[19]
Actions on housing
editDuring her election campaign, Park opposed converting two city-owned parking lots on Venice Boulevard into 140 housing units for the homeless.[5] She opposes California state legislation that restricts the ability of localities to ban new housing.[20] In 2023, she assured residents who were protesting plans to build apartment buildings in Westside, an affluent neighborhood of Los Angeles, that "there's going to be a lot of meetings" about the plans.[21] That same year, she expressed opposition to tearing down the Marina Freeway and replacing it with housing.[22] In 2024, Park took no position on whether a four-story apartment for low-income and moderate-income renters in her Westside district, which the landlord of a neighboring property filed a CEQA lawsuit against, should be allowed to be built without delay.[23]
Ethics reform
editIn 2024, Park expressed opposition to a proposed expansion of the Los Angeles City Council, a reform called for by ethics advocates to reduce corruption in the L.A. City Council.[24]
Electoral history
edit| Primary election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Erin Darling | 22,939 | 34.67 | |
| Traci Park | 19,168 | 28.97 | |
| Greg Good | 6,565 | 9.92 | |
| Allison Holdorff Polhill | 5,805 | 8.77 | |
| Michael Newhouse | 4,702 | 7.11 | |
| Jim Murez | 3,286 | 4.97 | |
| Matthew Smith | 2,590 | 3.91 | |
| Midsanon "Soni" Lloyd | 1,116 | 1.69 | |
| Total votes | 66,171 | 100.00 | |
| General election | |||
| Traci Park | 50,758 | 52.06 | |
| Erin Darling | 46,732 | 47.94 | |
| Total votes | 97,490 | 100.00 | |
References
edit- ^ Rainey, James (November 17, 2022). "Traci Park elected in Westside district, putting a record 6 women on L.A. City Council". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "Traci Park Challenges Mike Bonin in CD-11 Race". Circling The News. October 27, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
- ^ Rainey, James (May 28, 2022). "Homelessness and 'the soul of the Westside': Stakes high in race to replace Mike Bonin". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
- ^ "Park Declares Victory, Darling Concedes in LA Council's 11th District Race". Westside Current. November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "In West L.A., two lawyers clash over an open City Council seat, encampments and policing". Los Angeles Times. 2022-09-13.
- ^ McGregor, Angela (January 31, 2022). "Current Interview: Traci Park Looks to Restore Safety in CD11". Westside Current.
- ^ "Traci Park Announces Candidacy for Los Angeles Council District 11". Westside Current. July 2, 2021.
- ^ "Civil rights attorney announces campaign to succeed Mike Bonin in District 11". Spectrum News 1. February 4, 2022.
- ^ Catanzaro, Sam (June 8, 2022). "Runoff Set for LA City Council District 11 Race". Santa Monica Mirror.
- ^ Rainey, James (September 30, 2022). "Your Guide to the L.A. City Council District 11 Race: Traci Park vs. Erin Darling". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Charky, Nicole (May 25, 2022). "Meet Traci Park, Candidate For LA City Council District 11". Patch. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
- ^ Patel, Nihar (21 December 2022). "Traci Park hopes to rebuild trust with public as she takes City Council seat". KCRW. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ Cagle, Kate (October 6, 2022). "LA City Council candidate Traci Park defends legal record". Spectrum News 1.
- ^ Rainey, James (October 9, 2022). "Council candidates on L.A.'s Westside bash each other over their legal careers". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Rainey, James (October 23, 2022). "Mike Bonin remains in middle of City Council race, though he dropped out 9 months ago". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Election 2022: Erin Darling concedes to Traci Park in LA City Council race; LAUSD contests remain tight". Los Angeles Daily News. November 17, 2022.
- ^ "Protesters removed from incoming L.A. Councilwoman Traci Park's swearing in ceremony". Los Angeles Times. December 10, 2022.
- ^ "LA leaders end Mike Bonin's embrace of encampments on the Westside". Daily Breeze. February 16, 2023.
- ^ "Firefighters launch campaign against Measure HLA, saying 'road diets' threaten safety". Los Angeles Times. 2024-02-14.
- ^ McGregor, Angela (2023-12-26). "The Current Interview: CD11 Council Member Traci Park". Westside Current.
- ^ "Hundreds of Westchester residents say no to city's high-rise plans: 'This is excessive'". ABC7 Los Angeles. 2023-08-29.
- ^ "What a refusal to study turning a freeway into housing says about L.A.'s future". Los Angeles Times. 2023-10-28.
- ^ "LA's Mayor Promised Environmental Review Wouldn't Hold Up Affordable Housing — Now Some Projects Are Hitting Roadblocks". LAist. 2024-01-22.
- ^ "LA City Council Expansion, Once Hailed As Much Needed Reform, Is Dead For Now". LAist. 2024-05-20.